July 11th.—We marched from Setta at 8 A.M., the first high land bearing from the north side of the town N. 25° E., and named the Zafidah mountains, distant about twelve miles. These mountains form the western extremity of a range, running as far to the eastward as the eye can reach. The path led directly to these mountains, and the surrounding country was of a beautiful champaign character, studded at considerable intervals with trees of various descriptions.
About half a mile from Setta, and journeying N.E., we crossed a fine brook with a waterfall. The bed of the brook was of granite or quartz, in immense detached blocks, the brook running eastward. Close to this ford is a small kroom, called Zoogah; and although we had come so short a distance the old patriarch or caboceer had provided plenty of provisions for myself and private servants, with water and peto. The poor man also presented me with several fowls. He told me that the people of his small town had made a subscription and purchased these fowls to offer to me, but were ashamed to make so trifling a present, although they were anxious to show their good feeling towards the King’s white stranger. He had told them what I had said at Setta to the old woman (for he was present on that occasion) who presented me with the two eggs. The kindness shown towards me now formed a perfect contrast to that which I had experienced on the coast, where the character and disposition of the people are vile. I gave the caboceer some needles and thimbles, with directions to distribute them amongst his people.
At four miles from this place we arrived at a small kroom of about three hundred inhabitants, called Bamay. Here is a good market, which is held weekly: it happened to be held on this day. The caboceer was waiting in the market-place to receive us, in all his grandeur. Here we had plenty of good water and provisions. The caboceer seemed highly delighted at receiving a visit from a white man, and introduced me to all his head men and principal wives. The people assembled in the market-place all came running, pushing each other aside, with eager curiosity to obtain a sight of me. In the market, which is shaded with large trees, called by Europeans the umbrella-tree, they were selling cloth of the country, of various colours in stripe; kao (saltpetre in its original state) which is found in the mountains; different sorts of grain produced in the country; tobacco, and pipes made at Badagry, much resembling the head of the German pipe, but of red clay; shalots and vegetables of various sorts for soups, and also manioc or cassada-root ready cooked; with yams, plantains, and bananas, oranges, limes, pine-apples, cashu nuts, kolla or goora nuts, indigo and pepper; snuff is also sold here. Butcher’s meat is exposed for sale early in the morning, but if it be not sold quickly it is cooked in the market-place, to prevent putrefaction. Sheep and goats are sold in the market, but, singular enough, I never saw a live bullock in the market in any part of Africa, except at Tangiers. Fowls and eggs, and agricultural implements of various descriptions, are also sold in all the markets of any magnitude in this part of the country. Here the land is well cultivated, and the crops are very good.
This kroom contains about six hundred inhabitants, who are evidently of a different tribe to the people of Whydah. They are much better formed and more nimble, and apparently more capable of enduring fatigue than the natives on the coast. After distributing some small presents and some rum to the caboceer, we resumed our journey.
At ten miles distant, and bearing (magnetic) E.S.E. the Davity mountains are seen. These mountains form a range extending from east to west, for a distance of about twelve miles, and are separated by a narrow plain from another range of mountains, distant about two miles. Both ranges are of conical or hogback character. At the distance of four miles and a half we reached Daragow, a small kroom of about three hundred inhabitants. Here we were welcomed by the caboceer, whose name was Badykpwa, a fine stout old man of about fifty-five years of age.
The necessary qualifications for a caboceer in nearly all the kingdoms and petty states of Western and Central Africa, are, that he should be tall and stout; a beard is also indispensable. In many African kingdoms, indeed, rank is estimated by the length and thickness of the beard.
At six miles we reached the banks of the river Zoa, here forty yards wide and seven feet deep. It is very muddy, for it is now the rainy season. Large blocks of granite rise above the surface; the bed of the river consists of a drab-coloured sand. The current is about two miles per hour, running (magnetic) E.S.E. The banks are thirty feet deep, and wooded on each bank with trees of gigantic size, whose enormous roots extend in all directions. The greater number of these roots run along the surface, in most cases crossing and re-crossing each other, presenting the appearance of network. Their trunks are buttressed all round, somewhat like the cotton-tree. At about eight feet from the ground the buttresses, which so far are straight, break off in different directions, crossing each other around the trunk, like a number of large serpents wattled across each other. I did not observe any trees of the same description at a distance from the rivers.
At this ferry we found a large canoe, which is left here for the use of passengers. By order of the king of Dahomey, all traders carrying goods are exempt from paying fees for crossing. Here we were detained for some time, the canoe not being capable of conveying more than ten persons without luggage at a time. I remained till all the party had been ferried over, except the caboceer, or captain, and the other principal officers of my suite. When we embarked, the captain begged me to sit in the bottom of the canoe with my face towards the stern, so that in crossing I was conveyed backwards. When I remonstrated with him on the absurdity of doing so, he declared it to be “bad fetish” for any great man in crossing water to look in the direction he is proceeding, assuring me also that he was answerable for my safety, and that should anything of an unpleasant nature happen to me he should be severely punished, or if any thing should occur to my personal injury he should lose his head. When I found the poor fellow, who was under these restrictions, felt distressed at the observations I had made, I readily assented to all his instructions and directions. My little horse swam across, tied to the canoe, which materially assisted us in getting it across.
This river is the same as the river Lagos at Badagry on the coast, although here called the Zoa; but the same thing occurs all over Africa where I have yet been. I am also informed that this same river has two other distinct names, between this place and the place where it takes the name of Lagos, which fully accounts for many supposed errors of our travellers, as well as many errors in fact.
Our party having now all safely crossed the river, we immediately resumed our journey amongst thickets of underwood scarcely passable, the bushes having closed in and across the path, and joined over the narrow sheep-track for such it really was. After travelling half a mile, the path became more open, and we suddenly came upon a small lake or pond, apparently of stagnant water, with the delicate water-lily sprinkled over its surface. The sight of these beautiful flowers, coming upon us so unexpectedly, created a very pleasing sensation, for they were exactly the same as the water-lily of England.